Portable shelving



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

L. O. TABB. PORTABLE SHELVING.

No. 589,318. Patented Aug. 31,1897.

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W Attorney 2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

L. C. TABB. PORTABLE SHBLVING. N0.'589,318. Patented Aug. 31,1897

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Alzumey UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

LYLE CAMPBELL TABB, OF BLUEFIELU, VEST VIRGINIA.

PORTABLE SHELVING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,318, dated August 31, 1897.-

.Application filed March 30, 1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYLE CAMPBELL TABB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bluefield, in the county of Mercer and State of Vest Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Shelving; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same/ My invention relates to improvements in shelving for cabinets, bookcases, showcases, filing-cabinets, dsc, the object being to provide an improved construction wherein the shelving is constructed independently of the case or cabinet and is detachably suspended therein in order that it may be readily removed therefrom in case of fire, flood, or other emergency, and a series of shelvingcases placed upon one another to cover and protect the papers, stock, or other articles supported by the shelves.

A further object is to provide improved mechanism for suspending the shelving within the case or cabinet, and for partially supporting the weight of the same when the shelving is detached and is being removed.

To the accomplishment of these objects, my invention consists in certain novel details of construction, combinations, and arrangementsof parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevational view ofa shelving case or cabinet embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the case or cabinet, looking toward the rear side of the shelving. Fig. 1 is a detail view showingthe construction of the suspending-hooks. Fig. 5is an enlarged detail view showing the loweringrod and connections, and Fig. 6 is a view showing a modification of the same.

Like numerals" designate I corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

My invention is adapted for application to store-shelving cases or cabinets, bookcases,

Serial No. 629,898. (No model-Y filing-cabinets, and other articles of furniture wherein shelving is employed.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a shelf case or cabinet, and2 the base portion thereof designed to receive drawers 3. 4 is a division-board separating the said base portion from the main portion of the said case or cabinet.

In accordance with my invention the shelving 5 is constructed independently ofthe said case or cabinet and consists of aback board 6, side board 7, and a series of horizontal shelf-boards 8. The base-board 9 of the shelving inclines from the front to the rear, as shown, in order to enable the shelving to be readily swung out from the case or cabinet in the manner hereinafter described. The front face of this base-board is provided with a catch 10, designed to engage with a keeper 11 on the partition-board 4 of the case or cabinet, in order to prevent the lower end of the shelving from swinging outward.

The shelving is suspended in the case or cabinet by means of hooks 12, formed with a body or attaching portion 13, adapted to be secured by screws or otherwise to the end walls of the shelving, and provided with an upwardly and forwardly projecting hook 14 and a downwardly-projecting hook or stop lug 15. The hooks thus constructed are secured to the end Walls of the shelving and project in rear of the same. The hooks 14: are adapted to engage with a cross rod or shaft 16, extending'between the side walls of the case or cabinet, adjoining the upper end thereof, and thesehooks normally hold theshelving suspended, while the catch device 10 11, before described, prevents the lower end of shelving from swinging out beyond the line of the front of the case.

The case or cabinet is provided at the top and front with a cornice-piece 17, secured thereto by spring-hinges 18, and adapted to swing outward when the shelving is removed, in the manner hereinafter stated.

A lowering-rod 19 is fulcruined in the cabinet at 20, and is provided at the upper end thereof with a lateral or right-angularly extending engaging member 21, which normally has position adjoining the stop lug or hook 15 and the hook 12.

A spiral tension-spring 22, secured to the said case or cabinet and to the said lowering-rod, is designed to sustain a portion of the weight of the cabinet when the latter is being detached, and to automatically return the said rod to its normal position after the shelving has .been detached. A stop device 23 is provided to limit the inward movement of the said lowering-rod.

It will be understood that the construction of parts just described may be d uplicated at each end of the shelving and case or cabinet, and such I contemplate doing. This, however, is not absolutely essential, as it is obvious that these parts maybe connected and arranged at the center of the case or cabinet and shelving and provide an operative construction.

In the operation of the device, when it is desired to detach the shelving from the case or cabinet wherein it is hung for purposes of transportation, or in order to pack or remove the papers, merchandise, or other articles contained therein, the catch 10 is first disengaged from its keeper and the lower end of the shelving 5 swung outward upon its axis, the rod or shaft 16, until the hook 14 is released therefrom, and the stop hook or lug 15 is engaged with the laterally-projecting member 24 of the lowering-rod 19. The cornice 17 of the ease or cabinet swings outward on its spring-hinges 18 to permit the shelving to be withdrawn. cabinet is then continued to be drawn outward, with the result that the lowering-rod 19 is drawn outward and downward also, the spiral spring 22 being caused to expand and sustain a portion of the weight of the shelving, as will be readily understood.

hen the shelving has been almost entirely withdrawn and occupies a substantially horizontal position and the lowering rod or lever 19 is thrown forward or extended outwardly, the shelving may be readily disengaged from the lateral engaging member of said loweringrod and laid upon the floor of the room or compartment. Vhen the shelving is disengaged from the said lowering-rod, the spiral spring 22 automatically returns the same to its normal position.

In order to enable the shelving to be conveniently removed, I provide the same, adjacent the lower end thereof, with handholds 25.

I11 the construction shown in Fig. 6 a cord and weight 22 22 are employed instead of the tensioirspri ng 22, in order to provide a counterbalance acting on the lowering-rod 19 to afiord a counterbalance therefor to assist the latter in supporting the weight of the upper portion of the shelving. A stop device 26 is provided to limit the outward movement of the lowering-rod.

I contemplate constructing the case or cabinet and shelving of metal to render them both fire and water proof, so that the shelving when removed may be piled upon one another, in order to protect the papers or merchandise contained therein.

The lower end of the case or I desire it understood that I do not limit my invention to the specific construction of parts herein shown and described, but reserve to myself the right to make such changes in the construction and arrangement of parts as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In shelving, the combination of a case or cabinet provided with a transverse suspending-rod, shelving constructed independently thereof and provided with a baseboard inclining upwardly from front to the rear to enable it to be readily swung out of the cabinet and with suspending means to engage said rod, a lowering device adapted to beengaged by the shelving and assist in supporting the weight of the same while being removed, and a tension device acting on the lowering device, substantially as described.

2. In shelving, the combination of a case or cabinet provided with a transverse suspending-rod, shelving provided with suspending means to engage said rod, a lowering device adapted to be engaged by the detached shelves and assist in supporting the weight of the same while being removed, and tension devices acting on said lowering device, substantially as described.

3. In shelving, the combination of a case or cabinet, shelving detaehably secured therein, a lowering-lever fulcrumed in the said case or cabinet and adapted to be engaged by the said shelving to partially sustain the weight of the same, and tension devices acting on the said lever, and offering resistance to the movement of the same, substantially as described.

4.. In shelving, the combination of a case or cabinet provided with a suspending device, shelving provided with supporting-hooks consisting of an attaching portion secured to the shelving and provided with upwardly and downwardly projecting hooks, a lowering device fulcrumed in the case or cabinet and adapted to be engaged by the said lower hooks when the upper hooks are released from the suspending devices, and tension devices acting upon the said lowering-lever, whereby the latter assists in supporting the weight of the shelving while the latter is being removed, substantially as described.

5. In shelving, the combination with the case or cabinet, of shelving provided with hooks for detachably seeurin g the same therein, a lowering device consisting of a leverfnlcrumed in said cabinet and adapted to be engaged by the said hooks when the shelving is to be removed, and tension devices acting on the said lever, whereby the lever partially supports the weight of the shelving and is automatically returned to its normal position when the said shelving is released therefrom, substantially as described.

(3. In shelving, the combination of a easeor cabinet, shelving constructed independently IIO thereof and supported therein, a lowering-lever adapted to be engaged by the said shelving, and springs acting on the said lever to partially support the weight of the shelving and automatically return the lever to its normal position, substantially as described.

7. In shelving, the combination of a case or cabinet provided with a suspending rod or shaft, a lowering-lever fulcrumed therein, tension devices acting on said lever, and shelving provided with hooks having upper and lower engaging devices, one of which is adapted to normally suspend the same from the said rod or shaft,while the other is adapted to engage the said lowering-lever when the shelving is being removed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this -specification in-"the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LYLE CAMPBELL TABB.

W'itnesses:

G. A. D. KELLOGG, F. MOOMAN. 

